Softball: Butler grounds Hoboken in group semifinals

By Joseph Costello

SPORTS EDITOR |

Suburban Trends

RAMSEY – In the top of the third inning of her teams Group 1 semifinal game against Hoboken on Tuesday, Butler sophomore pitcher Larissa Spellman raced down the first base line and was rewarded for her hustle as she reached on an error.

Amber Haslett (white helmet) is congratulated by her teammates after the junior smashed a long home run to help the Bulldogs knock off Hopatcong 5-0 in their Group 1 semifinal game on Wednesday.Larissa Spellman allowed only two hits and struck out 13 against Hoboken.

Butler head coach Brittany Marion turned away from the play to celebrate.

What Marion missed caused the rest of the Butler coaches, their players and fans to hold their breath.

A few steps past first base Spellman lost her footing and fell backwards awkwardly on her left arm.

When Marion turned to see what everyone was watching she too started to worry as Spellman lay on the ground in pain.

"I didn't see her fall. I was cheering everyone on and then I looked over there and she was on the ground. It was nerve-wracking," said Marion.

The fall had Spellman thinking the worst.

"It sucked. A lot," admitted Spellman. "It locked and I thought it was over."

A few moments later Spellman was able to walk off the field under her own power as she was replaced by a pinch runner.

Marion said that she believed Spellman would have been able to return to the pitching circle but the Bulldogs ace got a reprieve as a torrential downpour hit Tisdale Field in Ramsey causing the game to be postponed until Wednesday.

In the make up game the Bulldogs rolled behind Spellman who allowed only two hits in Butler's 5-0 victory.

"It still hurts a lot but I know that I have to fight through it," said Spellman of her injury.

The Butler offense quickly gave their pitcher all the support that she would need in the top of the first inning.

Ally Spellman led off with a double and she moved to third on a single by Marlene Arabia.

After Aleks Apkarian walked to load the bases Taylor Russnak lofted a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Ally Spellman. A throwing error on the play allowed Arabia to score as well.

In the bottom of the first Spellman showed absolutely no signs of pain as she struck out the side on only nine pitches.

"She is in a lot of pain but adrenaline helped her get through it," said Marion. "She did such a good job of moving the ball."

Butler's lead grew to 3-0 in the top of the third when an error, a wild pitch and an RBI single by Apkarian plated another run.

A solo home run by Amber Haslett made it 4-0 in the top of the fourth.

The final Butler run came in the top of the seventh when with two outs Russnak singled and Allison DePuyt walked. Brianne Lipinski then singled and the ball was misplayed by the Hoboken left fielder allowing Russnak to score.

While her offense kept adding to their lead Spellman was cruising her way through the Hoboken lineup.

Spellman finished with 13 strikeouts while allowing only two hits but she credited the Bulldogs defense with being the key to the win.

"If I am not pitching my best and they hit it my team will make the plays so I am not worried about it," said Spellman. "These girls are flawless. They are doing amazing."

In Butler's first five state tournament games Spellman has struck out 66 batters in 33 innings while issuing only nine walks and 11 hits but the fact that her defense has only one error over that span makes the pitchers job that much easier.

"We have one error, so what? I knew that [Hoboken] had good hitters so I knew I had to hit my spots so they would hit it off the ends of their bats, but even if they did hit it the girls would make the plays."

The Butler girls were scheduled to take on New Egypt in the group 1 final on Saturday after the Suburban Trends deadline.

No matter the outcome Marion was just looking forward to the championship game.

"We are just rolling now. I don't want these kids to ever forget this experience. I will never forget it, that's for sure," said the Butler coach.

Softball: Butler grounds Hoboken in group semifinals

Amber Haslett (white helmet) is congratulated by her teammates after the junior smashed a long home run to help the Bulldogs knock off Hopatcong 5-0 in their Group 1 semifinal game on Wednesday.Larissa Spellman allowed only two hits and struck out 13 against Hoboken.

RAMSEY – In the top of the third inning of her teams Group 1 semifinal game against Hoboken on Tuesday, Butler sophomore pitcher Larissa Spellman raced down the first base line and was rewarded for her hustle as she reached on an error.

Butler head coach Brittany Marion turned away from the play to celebrate.

What Marion missed caused the rest of the Butler coaches, their players and fans to hold their breath.

A few steps past first base Spellman lost her footing and fell backwards awkwardly on her left arm.

When Marion turned to see what everyone was watching she too started to worry as Spellman lay on the ground in pain.

"I didn't see her fall. I was cheering everyone on and then I looked over there and she was on the ground. It was nerve-wracking," said Marion.

The fall had Spellman thinking the worst.

"It sucked. A lot," admitted Spellman. "It locked and I thought it was over."

A few moments later Spellman was able to walk off the field under her own power as she was replaced by a pinch runner.

Marion said that she believed Spellman would have been able to return to the pitching circle but the Bulldogs ace got a reprieve as a torrential downpour hit Tisdale Field in Ramsey causing the game to be postponed until Wednesday.

In the make up game the Bulldogs rolled behind Spellman who allowed only two hits in Butler's 5-0 victory.

"It still hurts a lot but I know that I have to fight through it," said Spellman of her injury.

The Butler offense quickly gave their pitcher all the support that she would need in the top of the first inning.

Ally Spellman led off with a double and she moved to third on a single by Marlene Arabia.

After Aleks Apkarian walked to load the bases Taylor Russnak lofted a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Ally Spellman. A throwing error on the play allowed Arabia to score as well.

In the bottom of the first Spellman showed absolutely no signs of pain as she struck out the side on only nine pitches.

"She is in a lot of pain but adrenaline helped her get through it," said Marion. "She did such a good job of moving the ball."

Butler's lead grew to 3-0 in the top of the third when an error, a wild pitch and an RBI single by Apkarian plated another run.

A solo home run by Amber Haslett made it 4-0 in the top of the fourth.

The final Butler run came in the top of the seventh when with two outs Russnak singled and Allison DePuyt walked. Brianne Lipinski then singled and the ball was misplayed by the Hoboken left fielder allowing Russnak to score.

While her offense kept adding to their lead Spellman was cruising her way through the Hoboken lineup.